Operating device

ABSTRACT

An operating device having a rotary knob capable of rotation operations exhibits compatibility between speed and precision in operation and does not require use of a plurality of rotary knobs includes a rotation detecting device for detecting the rotated angle of the rotary knob. The rotary knob includes a small-diameter component for operating the rotary knob quickly, and a large-diameter component for operating the rotary knob slowly or for fine adjustment. A determining unit is provided for determining the rotated position of the rotary knob when the rotary knob is operated.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a rotary operating device having arotation detecting mechanism, which is user friendly and capable ofrapid and precise operation.

BACKGROUND ART

In a known rotary operating device including a rotary knob, a requiredcandidate is selected from list elements by operating the rotary knob,and then the candidate is fixed by pressing a switch or the like.

For example, an electronic operating device including a rotary encoderor the like in a rotation-operating mechanism is provided with a rotaryoperation knob so that an operator can select a required candidate bydetecting the amount (angle) of the rotation of the operation knob.

However, in the conventional operating device, the rotary operation knobis formed of components having the same diameter; hence, the operatingdevice is not user friendly in view of the operation speed and accuracy.

For example, with recent development of large-capacity recording mediasuch as hard disks and data compression technology (such as MP3), it isnothing special that one medium can record an enormous amount of data.In such a circumstance, the file structure for handling folders andalbums in the recording field in the same media is layered and the depthof the hierarchy increases. In one method for achieving a desiredselection processing by a high-speed operation under such a condition, arotary knob dedicated for a high-speed operation and a fine rotary knobdedicated for a low-speed operation and fine adjustment are provided.After the rotary knob for high-speed operation is rotated, the finerotary knob for low-speed operation is rotated for retrieving andselecting a desired file or the like.

In such a method, however, an operator must use these two rotary knobsto suit the occasion with trouble, and cannot visually select the knobto be rotated in a minute.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to strike a balancebetween high-speed operation and accuracy in an operating device capableof a rotation operation by a rotary knob and is to avoid the necessityof the use of a plurality of rotary knobs.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In the present invention for solving the above problems, a rotary knobincludes a small-diameter component for quickly rotating the rotary knoband a large-diameter component for slowly rotating the rotary knob orfor finely adjusting the rotary knob, and determining means is providedfor determining the rotated position of the rotary knob when the rotaryknob is operated.

According to the present invention, the small-diameter component of therotary knob is used for a quick rotation operation whereas thelarge-diameter component is used for a slow rotation operation or fineadjustment; hence, the quick operation and the slow or fine-adjustmentoperation can be visually distinguished.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are drawings illustrating an embodiment according to thepresent invention, FIG. 1 being a front view of a main portion;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the main portion;

FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of an internal structureof an operating device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are drawings illustrating another embodiment according tothe present invention, FIG. 4 being a drawing illustrating a mainportion of an internal structure;

FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating an appearance of a rotary knobassembled in a device;

FIGS. 6 to 9 are drawings illustrating an embodiment according to thepresent invention, FIG. 6 being a block diagram of an embodiment of aconfiguration of an applied device;

FIGS. 7 to 9 are drawings illustrating an embodiment of an operation,FIG. 7 showing an embodiment of a screen page when the sound volume isadjusted;

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a screen page when a station is selected;and

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a screen page when a music piece isselected.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 are drawings illustrating a basic structure according tothe present invention and illustrate a main portion of an electronicapparatus 2 provided with an operating device 1.

In this embodiment, a body 2 a of the electronic apparatus 2 is providedwith a panel (operating panel) 3, and the operating device 1 is mountedto an operation board 3 a of the panel 3.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a rotary knob 4 that includes a disklarge-diameter component 4S and a small-diameter component 4F having asmaller diameter than that of the large-diameter component 4S andprotruding toward a direction remote from the operation board 3 a, thelarge-diameter component 4S and the small-diameter component 4F beingcombined. More specifically, the small-diameter component 4F is usedwhen the rotary knob 4 is rotated quickly, whereas the large-diametercomponent 4S is used when the rotary knob 4 is operated slowly or forfine adjustment.

The small-diameter component 4F and the large-diameter component 4S arecoaxially disposed with respect to the rotating shaft of the rotary knob4. The outer faces of the small-diameter component 4F and thelarge-diameter component 4S are subjected to nonslip treatment(irregularity, ribs, grooves, knurling, etc.) in view of operationality.For example, the small-diameter component 4F is rotated quickly with athumb, an index finger, and a middle finger. The side of the panel 3 isprovided with a cutout 3 b, so that the periphery of the large-diametercomponent 4S can be rotated slowly, for example, with the pad of theindex finger.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the internal structure of theoperating device 1.

The rotating shaft 4 a of the rotary knob 4 extends through the centralholes 6 a,6 a of shaft bearings 6,6 that are attached to a support 5 aof a detecting unit 5. An end 4 b (remote from the rotary knob 4) of therotating shaft is supported by a thrust block 7. As shown in thedrawing, The thrust block 7 includes a bearing portion 7 a, whichengages with a conical concavity 4 c formed at an end 4 b of the shaft,and an urging means (such as a coil spring) 7 b for elastically fittingthe bearing portion to the concavity 4c.

Concavities 6 b,6 b are formed on the inner faces of the central holes 6a,6 a of the shaft bearings 6,6, while concavities 4 d,4 d facing theconcavities 6 b,6 b are formed on the face of the rotating shaft 4 a.Many metal balls B,B, . . . are disposed between the concavities 4 d,4 dand the concavities 6 b,6 b. The concavities 4 d,4 d are longer than theconcavities 6 b,6 b in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 4 a, sothat the rotating shaft 4 a can be moved in the axial direction.

The shaft bearings 6,6 are disposed at a predetermined distance, and adisk 8A (detected section) attached to the rotating shaft 4 atherebetween is a component of a rotation detecting means 8 fordetecting the rotated position (angle) of the rotary knob 4. Forexample, a sensor 8B is provided for the disk 8A, which is fixed to therotating shaft 4 a and is rotated together with the rotary knob 4. Whenan optical rotary encoder is used, it may be of a reflective type havinga disk 8A provided with many reflective portions arranged at a givendistance and a sensor 8B such as a photointerrupter, or may be of atransmissive type having a disk 8A provided with many slits along thecircumference and a photosensor set arranged at both sides of the disk8A. In addition to these types, a disk provided with a magnetizedpattern along the circumference and a magnetic sensor are used in amagnetic detection type. Furthermore, various other types such as aresistance detecting type (for example, using a variable resistancepattern) may be used.

As shown in the drawing, an annular rib 8C is provided at thecircumference of the disk 8A, in the direction along the rotating shaft4 a. The rib 8C faces a detecting unit 9A, which is, for example, adetecting switch pressed by the rib 8C.

The detecting unit 9A is a component of a determining means 9 fordetermining the rotated position (angle) of the rotary knob 4 after theoperation of the rotary knob 4.

For example, the detecting unit 9A is provided with a counterpart 9Bpressed by the rib 8C of the disk 8A. When the rotary knob 4 pressed inthe direction shown by arrow P in FIG. 3 (toward the support 5 a), itsrotating shaft 4 a moves along the central axis, and the disk 8A alsomoves simultaneously. The detecting unit 9A detects the pressed state ofthe counterpart 9B by the rib 8C of the disk 8A.

When the rotary knob 4 is quickly rotated in the use of the operatingdevice 1, the small-diameter component 4F is operated. When the rotaryknob 4 is slowly rotated, the large-diameter component 4S is operated.In both cases, the rotation of the disk 8A is detected by a sensor unit8B. When the rotary knob 4 is pressed along the rotating shaft 4 a, thecounterpart 9B of the detecting unit 9A is pressed by the rib 8C of thedisk 8A. The rotated position of the rotary knob 4 is therebydetermined.

The detecting unit 9A constituting the determining means 9 is notlimited to a contact sensor and may be any other type of sensor, forexample, a non-contact sensor such as a proximity sensor.

In the above embodiment, the small-diameter component 4F and thelarge-diameter component 4S of the rotary knob 4 are coaxially fixed.The rib 8C of the disk 8A moves along the rotating shaft 4 a inconjunction with the movement of the rotary knob 4 along the rotatingshaft 4 a and comes into contact with the counterpart 9B of thedetecting unit 9A so that the determining means 9 determines the rotatedposition of the rotary knob 4. However, the structure is not limited tothe above embodiment and may be those shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, forexample.

FIG. 4 shows a main portion of an embodiment of an operation device 1A.

Also in this embodiment, a small-diameter component 4F and alarge-diameter component 4S of a rotary knob 4 are coaxially provided.The cylindrical small-diameter component 4F is fixed to an end of arotating shaft 4 a, whereas the disk large-diameter component 4S isfixed to the rotating shaft 4 a in a support 5 a. The rotating shaft 4 ahas a flange 4 e, the large-diameter component 4S adjoining the flange 4e and being fixed to the rotating shaft 4 a.

The rotating shaft 4 a extends through central holes 6 a,6 a of shaftbearings 6,6 of the support 5 a and can rotate. These shaft bearings 6,6are engaged with large holes 10,10 for sliding that are formed on a walland a frame of the support 5 a, and urging means 11,11 (representedsimply by spring symbols in the drawing) generate an urging force in thedirection shown by arrow Q in FIG. 4.

An end of the small-diameter component 4F protrudes from a large opening12 formed in an operation board 3 a in an outer casing of a panel 3 oran electronic apparatus 2. An outer portion of the rotating shaft 4 afrom the flange 4 e extends through a large opening 5 b formed in thesupport 5 a, and the small-diameter component 4F is fixed to the outerend of the rotating shaft 4 a. Thus, the rotating shaft 4 a can move ina direction perpendicular to the central axis of the rotation within thelarge opening 5 b.

The periphery of the large-diameter component 4S is partially exposedfrom an insertion hole 13 formed in a side 3 c of the outer casing ofthe panel 3 or electronic apparatus 2. For example, an operator canrotate the rotating shaft 4 a quickly by rotating the small-diametercomponent 4F with a thumb, an index finger, and a middle finger orslowly by rotating the large-diameter component 4S exposed from theinsertion hole 13 with the pad of the index finger, or can press thelarge-diameter component 4S to slide the rotating shaft 4 a in thedirection of arrow R shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Also in this embodiment, a rotation detecting means 8 includes a disk 8Afixed to the rotating shaft 4 a (not having a rib 8C in this embodiment)and a sensor unit 8B facing the disk 8A, as in the previous embodiment.

The support 5 a is provided with a detecting unit 9A facing thecircumferential face of the large-diameter component 4S. The detectingunit 9A has a counterpart 9B that is pressed during the slidingoperation of the large-diameter component 4S. When the detecting unit 9Ais, for example, a detection switch, the large-diameter component 4S ispressed in the direction of arrow R, against the force applied to theshaft bearings 6,6 from the urging means 11,11. The shaft bearings 6,6moves in the large holes 10,10 of the support 5 a in the oppositedirection of arrow Q and the large-diameter component 4S also moves inthe opposite direction of arrow Q, so that the circumferential face ofthe large-diameter component 4S presses the counterpart 9B. Thisoperation is detected by the detection switch.

As described above, the detecting unit 9A and the counterpart 9Bconstitute the determining means 9, which determines the rotatedposition of the rotary knob 4 when the rotary knob 4 is pressed in adirection perpendicular to the rotating shaft 4 a.

In this embodiment, the counterpart 9B is pressed by the large-diametercomponent 4S. Alternatively, the counterpart 9B may be pressed by therotating shaft 4 a or a component moved with the rotating shaft 4 a.

According to the above embodiments, the rotary knob having a pluralityof components (can be three or more components) having differentdiameters allows an operator to select an appropriate operationcomponent having a diameter that meets the operational purpose (a rapidrotational operation, a slow rotational operation, or a rotationaloperation for fine adjustment); thus, different responses to theoperational angle are achieved. Furthermore, the operator can perform anintended operation with the large-diameter component and thesmall-diameter component of the rotary knob in response to the purposeof the operation.

In the determination of the position after the operation of the rotaryknob, the above determining means can readily determine the rotatedposition by a simple operation, namely, pressing of the rotary knobalong the rotating shaft or in a direction perpendicular to the rotatingshaft.

Applications

FIG. 6 shows an application of the operating device according to thepresent invention in ambulance or vehicle equipment, more specificallyis a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration 14 of an audioinstrument including a tuner and a disk player. The above-describedoperating device 1 is mounted onto the front panel of the instrument inthis embodiment.

Among signals acquired from the operating device 1, a rotation detectionsignal Sr detected by the sensor unit 8B during the rotational operationof the small-diameter component 4F or large-diameter component 4S of therotary knob 4 is transmitted to a rotation amount (rotation angle)detector 15 and a rotation direction detector 16. A determination signalSp generated in the detecting unit 9A during a pressing operation of therotary knob 4 along the rotating shaft 4 a is transmitted to an ON/OFFdetector 17.

The rotation amount detector 15 determines the rotated angle of therotary knob 4 based on the signal Sr and transmits the result to acontroller 18.

The rotation direction detector 16 determines the rotational directionof the rotary knob 4 based on the signal Sr and transmits the result tothe controller 18.

The ON/OFF detector 17 determines the signal state in response to thesignal Sp (ON/OFF state depending on the determination) and transmitsthe result to the controller 18.

The controller 18 includes a CPU (central processing unit), a circuitfor signal processing, i.e., voice signal processing, A/D conversion,and D/A conversion, and the circuit processes operational informationtransmitted from the rotation amount detector 15, the rotation directiondetector 16, and the ON/OFF detector 17. The controller 18 processesvoice signals from a tuner 19, and voice signals from a disk informationprocessor 20 (including a read/write head for a disk recording medium, asignal processing circuit, and a mounting mechanism), and outputs theresults through a volume controller 21 and an amplifier 22.

A display controller 23 processes information for a display unit 24 suchas a liquid crystal display (LCD) and outputs drive signals to thedisplay unit 24 in response to the signals from the controller 18. Thedisplay unit 24 is provided with an illumination unit 25.

FIGS. 7 to 9 illustrates an operational embodiment and includesschematic images that are transmitted from the controller 18 to thedisplay unit 24 via the display controller 23 and are displayed in thedisplay unit 24.

FIG. 7 shows a screen page for adjusting the volume. Upon the rotationof the rotary knob 4, a level indicator (representing the quantity ofthe sound volume) consisting of a group of level-bar display elements26,26, . . . transversely extending in the drawing shows changes incolor and brightness. After selection of the desired volume (“XX” in thedrawing indicates numerical display), the rotary knob 4 is pressed todetermine the volume. For example, after the rotary knob 4 is pressedalong the rotating shaft 4 a to select the volume control mode, therotary knob 4 is rotated in a given direction to increase the soundvolume, or in the counter direction to decrease the sound volume, thelevel indicator on the display screen changing in response to the changein the sound volume.

FIG. 8 shows a screen page for selecting a station with a tuner 19, aplurality of vertically arranged list elements for selection (abroadcast station list including stations A, B, C, . . . or frequenciesto be selected). After the rotary knob 4 is pressed for selecting thetuner 19 as a source, the rotary knob 4 is rotated to move a rectangularselection frame W in the vertical direction. After a desired listelement is selected, the rotary knob 4 is pressed along the rotatingshaft 4 a to determine the selected station. When the rotary knob 4 isrepressed to display the broadcasting station list, the station that wasselected in the prior step is surrounded by the frame W by the memoryeffect. The same station can be selected merely by pressing the rotaryknob 4, resulting in a simplified operation.

FIG. 9 shows a screen that displays a list of vertically arranged pluralmusic pieces a, b, c, . . . , which are recorded on the disk recordingmedium, for selecting a desired piece. With the rotation of the rotaryknob 4, a rectangular selection frame W vertically moves. After thedesired piece is selected from the list, the rotary knob 4 is pressedalong the rotating shaft 4 a to select the piece to be played. In otherwords, the music sources recorded on the disk recording medium can beselected or changed by the pressing operation of the rotary knob 4, andthe selection frame W can be moved upward or downward by the rotation ofthe rotary knob 4.

In the present invention, the type of the instruments is not limited.Thus, the present invention can be extensively applied to operations ofvisual instruments, various communication instruments such as mobilephones, game machines, information processing apparatuses, and so on, aswell as audio instruments. For example, in the search of a required namefrom a phone number list in a mobile phone or the like, the name indexfrom A to X is scanned rapidly with a small-diameter component forrefine search, and then the required name is found by a slow operationwith a large-diameter component. In this manner, these components can beselectively used according to the purpose. Also in an informationprocessing apparatus, a required file can be retrieved from a numerousnumber of data in the same manner. Accordingly, operators can readilyoperate electronic apparatuses having operational knobs for requiredpurposes and fine adjustments.

The slide operation for determining the position of the rotary knobafter the operation of the rotary knob itself can be performed by anappropriate method, for example, a force applied during the pressuringoperation or the number of the pressuring operations, in addition to thedetection of the pressuring operation itself using the detecting switch.

As described above, in the rotary knob according to the presentinvention, the small-diameter component is used for rapid rotationwhereas the large-diameter component is used for slow rotation and fineadjustment, resulting in superior operationality. The operator canvisually differentiate these knob components and can perform the rapidoperation and the slow or fine-adjustment operation with differentdiameter portions of the rotary knob. Since a plurality of rotary knobsare not used, the present invention has advantages of improvedoperationality, decreased space, and decreased cost.

According to the present invention, the rotated position can bedetermined by pressing the rotary knob along the rotating shaft withsimplified operation.

According to the present invention, the rotated position can bedetermined by pressing the rotary knob in a direction perpendicular tothe rotating shaft. Thus, the operator can readily differentiate therotation direction and the pressing direction, resulting in a decreasedunintended incorrect operation.

1. An operating device comprising: a rotary knob; and rotation-detectingmeans for detecting a rotated angle of the rotary knob and providing arotary position output, where in the rotary knob includes asmall-diameter component to facilitate a user quickly rotating therotary knob and a large-diameter component to permit the user to slowlyrotate the rotary knob so as to finely adjust a rotary position of therotary knob, the rotation-detecting means includes determining means fordetermining a rotated position of the rotary knob when the rotary knobis rotated by the user, and wherein the small-diameter component and thelarge-diameter component of the rotary knob are arranged coaxially on ashaft, and the rotation-detection means provides the rotary-positionoutput when the rotary knob is pressed in a direction perpendicular toan axis of the shaft of the rotary knob.